Ligand Internalization

Ligand internalization is a receptor-mediated endocytic process in which the cell will only take in an extracellular molecule if it binds to its specific receptor protein on the cell’s surface. It is an important cell signaling event, and Life Technologies offers a variety of fluorescent ligands targeted to common receptors.

No-wash assays

Specific receptor-mediated endocytosis pathways can be investigated with fluorescent ligands including pHrodo™ dyes targeted to common receptors, including, EGF, LDL, and transferrin.

The most convenient, no-wash assay format uses pHrodo™ Red or pHrodo™ Green to allow discrimination of stages in the endocytic pathway from early endosome to lysosome formation with no quench or wash required.

pHrodo™ dyes are essentially non-fluorescent at neutral pH and exhibit increasing signal with a red or green readout respectively as the pH decreases. The increase in fluorescent signal can be used to monitor progression in the endocytic pathway.

Quench or wash-based assays

Specific receptor-mediated endocytosis pathways can be investigated with a variety of fluorescent ligands targeted to common receptors, including, EGF, LDL, and transferrin.

Alexa Fluor® dyes conjugated to a range of ligands provide a choice of wavelength options and single-emission measurement for each. Assays require a wash step to remove unbound conjugates from the cell surface or quenching of the extracellular signal.